Eastside Fire and Rescue firefighters to take on ‘Climb for the Cure’ competition in Seattle March 6

EF&R to fundraise for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in Issaquah Feb. 20

By Megan Campbell • February 17, 2016 10:10 am

On his way up 69 flights of stairs, Eastside Fire and Rescue firefighter Nick Holmes would give high-fives to the children pictured in posters hung on each floor.

“It’s not customary,” he said Saturday in front of the Sammamish Safeway fundraising for the March 6 “Climb for the Cure” competition where firefighters in full gear, between 50-70 pounds, are challenged to climb more than 1,300 steps to reach the observation deck of Seattle’s Columbia Center March 6.

It’s just another way to remind himself why he participates in the annual competition, which saw more than 330 fire departments, about 1,900 firefighters, and raised a record $2.2 million last year for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s mission to raise money for blood-cancer research and patient services.

Holmes has participated in the event the last two years. This year, Holmes said he will also climb for a neighborhood boy who has leukemia.

“A lot of people are going through despair and hardship,” he said.

This year, about 25 firefighters from Eastside Fire and Rescue Professional Fire Fighters Local 2878 will climb in the competition, now in its 25th year.

“Our goal is to get $30,000 every year,” said firefighter Aaron Hendrickson. “We take pride in being one of the top fundraising teams.”

From 2010-2012, Eastside Fire was the top fundraiser of the competition; since entering more than five years ago, they have raised more than $250,000.